


First Impressions (Are Worth a Second Glance)

by Anonymous



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alpha Arthur Pendragon (Merlin), Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Arranged Marriage, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Daegal is amazing and as such he will be in this fic for no other reason than I love him, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, M/M, Omega Merlin (Merlin), Royal Merlin (Merlin)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-24
Updated: 2020-10-28
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:35:56
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,193
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26627626
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: “Tell me, Merlin, do you know how to walk on your knees?”Every fibre of Merlin’s omega being urged him to say 'Yes, Alpha. For you' but instead he countered with a firm, “No.”“Would you like me to help you?”'Yes. Please, Alpha. Show me who I belong to.' “I wouldn’t if I were you.”“Why? what are you going to do to me?” Merlin wanted to tell him that he was royalty and he was betrothed to Prince Arthur himself, but he refrained. He could get the prat’s name later and report this abhorrent behavior to his future husband.OrWhen Merlin learns he is to be married to Arthur Pendragon, Crown Prince of Camelot, he decides to go on a top secret mission to meet his husband, just once, before the wedding.It doesn't go very well.
Relationships: Merlin/Arthur Pendragon (Merlin)
Comments: 116
Kudos: 624
Collections: Anonymous





	1. Chapter 1

Merlin stood with his ear pressed to the door of the great hall, desperately trying to overhear what his father and brother were saying. He never particularly cared for politics, nor was he supposed to as an omega, but everyone in his family had been so damn secretive lately that he knew something was up. He couldn’t even get Lancelot to tell him, and normally all it took was a pleading glance and cute pout to break the alpha knight. 

“What are you doing?” a voice came from behind him. Merlin turned to see his friend and servant Daegal, carrying a couple empty goblets to the kitchens to be washed. He was fifteen, three years younger than Merlin, and an omega as well. Typically, unmated omegas like him weren’t allowed to work in the palace (they were too tempting to the alphas) but the boy needed a job, and Merlin needed a friend. So after a long, pleading conversation with his father, Daegal was brought on to the staff. 

“I’m trying to hear in there,” Merlin stated as though it was obvious. 

“That’s three inches of oak,” Daegal said. “Unless you developed Alpha hearing overnight, I don’t think you’ll have much luck.” 

“Oh, shut up.” Merlin took one of the goblets from Daegal’s hands and pressed it against the door, putting his ear to the other end. Take that, Alphas! They might’ve had better hearing, scent, eyesight, and strength, but Merlin had his intelligence. He listened in and heard… 

Absolutely nothing. 

He didn’t have to turn around to know Daegal was suppressing a laugh at his failed attempt to eavesdrop. “You’re mean,” he sulked.

“Well, it was kind of a long shot,” Daegal offered. “Oh, I know what you could do!” 

“What?” 

“Marry one of the alphas on the council. Then you’d be allowed in all the meetings.” 

Merlin rolled his eyes at the outlandish suggestion. He wasn't going to marry some alpha for something as meaningless as political gain. “And I assume you want me to marry Lance?” The younger man loved the idea of Merlin being with someone as gentle and caring as the knight.

“You guys would be so cute together,” Daegal whined. “Come on, you can’t tell me you don’t like him, just a little.” 

“Not even a little,” Merlin lied. “He’s a commoner, and my guard. It would be completely inappropriate.” 

“When have you ever cared about appropriate?” 

Merlin went to argue, but found he didn’t have a rebuttal. “Just- go do work or something,” he said instead.

“Whatever you say, my prince.” 

“I regret teaching you how to be sarcastic.”

“I know.” With that he was gone and Merlin was left to desperately listen at the door once again. 

Merlin’s ear was still pressed up against the door when the meeting was adjourned and the council started filing out. Unfortunately, the doors opened inwards, and he found himself toppling forward without the weight of the wood to support him. He landed face first against the stone with a soft _thud_. “Hey,” he said weakly, looking up to his father, the king, and all his most trusted advisors. “I was just… taking a nap.”

“Against the door?” Balinor asked. His mother hid her face in her hands to cover her laughter at his lame excuse. His brother Will didn’t even try to contain his chuckle. Lancelot, the only nice person in the whole of Ealdor, helped him to his feet. 

“Yeah.”

His father’s expression turned unreadable. “I think we need to have a talk.”

The rest of the group cleared out quickly, and Merlin was left to face his father alone. “Am I in trouble?” he asked quietly. Yes, it was unbecoming for an omega to so blatantly disregard rules, but his father made it clear from the moment Merlin presented that his dynamic didn’t change who he was. Merlin was a person who didn’t like rules, even if the typical alpha would say that omegas thrived off rules, that it was in their nature to seek structure and discipline. 

“No, my boy,” his father said with a sad smile. “I need to talk to you because we’ve been keeping you in the dark lately.” 

Something in his father’s tone made his stomach drop. “Okay?” 

“There is a lot of conflict among the kingdoms right now. Especially from Essetier. Cenred has become more… aggressive lately. As you well know, Ealdor is small. We do not have the fortresses or manpower to defend ourselves should he try to attack.” 

“And why would he want to attack?” Ealdor had riches and trade, sure, but to start a full scale war over a country so tiny seemed like more trouble than it was worth to Merlin. Of course, he hadn’t studied politics since he presented at the age of twelve, so he could be wrong. 

“As it stands, we’re the only thing in the way of Camelot.”

Merlin shuddered at the country’s name. He might not know much about politics, but he did know that Uther Pendragon was as big a tyrant as Cenred. He’d often hear his mother and father discuss how quickly (and violently) a peasant revolt was crushed under his rule, or how the latest person executed had probably been innocent. 

“King Uther has offered forces to protect us- a whole brigade of men would come to the border. We can comfortably support his expanding military financially. Of course, an alliance of this importance would need to be solidified…” he trailed off. 

“By a marriage,” Merlin finished for him. His father was already happily mated and married to his mother, a beta, and Will was engaged to a sweet, shy omega named Freya, who Merlin hadn’t met yet, since Will was always traveling to her. “By _my_ marriage.” 

“Uther has an alpha son, Arthur,” his father stated. “He’s around your age, and I think he’d be a good match.” 

“Oh,” Merlin didn’t have much else to say. He always knew that his father would be in charge of who he married to some extent, because he was an omega and because they were nobility, but he always thought he’d at least get to meet his future spouse a couple times before the wedding. 

“If there were any other option, I’d take it in a heartbeat,” Balinor said, guilt dripping from every word. 

“No, it’s alright,” Merlin said quickly. It wasn’t alright, but he didn’t need his father blaming himself for events so obviously out of his control. “I would happily marry anybody you wish if it means the safety of Ealdor.” 

Balinor went to say something else, but Merlin spoke first. “If you’ll excuse me.”

“Of course.” 

As soon as he heard the doors close behind him, he allowed his face to fall. Hot, angry tears rolled down his cheeks and he clenched his fists so hard they shook. All that bullshit his family had fed him about omegas not being any different was a lie. Merlin was a pawn, plain and simple. He beelined for his room, ignoring the stares of the beta staff. Right now, all he wanted to do was throw himself on his bed and scream into his pillows like a teenage girl having a temper tantrum.

As he turned the hallway to his quarters, a strong hand caught him by the forearm and gently guided him to a stop. “Merlin, I’m sorry,” the voice was unmistakably Lancelot’s, and the prince felt his temper flare up. 

“How long have you known?” he asked accusingly. The knight couldn’t always share what the council discussed with Merlin but he should’ve warned him about his impending marriage, whether it broke the rules or not. 

Lancelot hesitated, “Three months.” 

“Three months!” Merlin shook his head disbelievingly. “Three fucking months!” 

“I didn’t want to tell you until it was offici-”

Merlin yanked himself free of the knight’s grip. If he wanted to, Lancelot could’ve easily kept him there by force, made him listen. Instead he let go with a muttered ‘sorry’ and turned away. 

Merlin cried for what felt like hours until he found he had no tears left to shed. After that he just stared up at the ceiling, thinking about everything and nothing at once. Minutes passed before his room door opened. It was Daegal, anyone else would have knocked as it was incredibly rude (and dangerous) for an alpha or beta to invade an omega’s space while they were this upset. William had once barged into a visiting omega nobleman’s room because he smelled extreme distress. The poor nobleman dropped on the spot and Will had spent the rest of the visit apologizing profusely and trying to make it up to him. 

“Lance told me what happened,” the other boy said simply. “I’ll run away with you if you want.” 

Merlin couldn’t tell if he was serious or not. “Where would we go?” 

“Somewhere that we matter.” 

“Don’t think like that. We all matter.” 

Daegal smiled brightly and climbed into the bed with him. Merlin didn’t fit many omega stereotypes, but one that did ring true for him was that omegas loved to cuddle. He had read in some book that omegas sought physical comfort in one another because their scents were nonthreatening. Merlin just thought it was because Daegal was like a second brother to him. Will was amazing and all, but after they had both presented there had been a small riff between them. Will had always been protective, but after Merlin’s dynamic was revealed, the older boy had become too preoccupied with his brother’s safety. It didn’t help that Merlin seemed to attract the creepiest of suitors.

“We could always kill Pendragons,” Daegal said jokingly. At Merlin’s laugh he added, “I’m serious! At the engagement party I could just slip a little something in the wine and _bam_ no more marriage.” 

“I appreciate the gesture,” Merlin giggled. “Though I’m a bit concerned how fast you considered poisoning royalty.” 

“You can’t marry someone you’ve never met,” the younger omega pointed out.

Merlin didn’t respond. He knew he couldn’t marry a man he’d never met, but it seemed he didn’t have a choice. Maybe if he could meet this Arthur Pendragon fellow, just once, he could put some of his anxieties to rest. “That’s it, Daegal!” He jumped from the bed and began rummaging through his dresser.

“What’s it?” 

“I’m going to Camelot to meet my future husband.” 

“Right now?” the boy gave him a doubtful look. 

“Yes. Right now.” 

“The King will never allow it.” 

Merlin grinned ear to ear. “That, my dear friend, is where you come in.” 

* * *

“Alright, where’s Merlin?” Prince William questioned his brother’s servant. The King, the Queen (Hunith, as she insisted the servants call her), and Lancelot all looked at him expectantly. Daegal had been instructed to buy Merlin as much time as possible while he rode to Camelot in secret. So far he had managed to put off suspicion for about five hours, using increasing ridiculous excuses for his absence. Now, it seemed, he was at the end of the royal family’s patience. 

“Merlin?” he feigned confusion. “Do I know a Merlin?” 

“You might’ve seen him around,” Hunith replied with the same level of sarcasm. “You know, yea high, black hair, ears the size of dinner plates.” 

“Sorry. Not ringing a bell,” Daegal shrugged. If he ended up in the stocks for this, he would absolutely kill Merlin. 

“Where is my son?” the King demanded, his raised voice echoing off the walls.

“He’s headed north to Nemeth,” Daegal lied easily. “He’s visiting the beta girl he met at the Yule feast last year.” 

The King sighed. “William, Lancelot, send a search party.” 

“Yes, sire,” the two men said in unison and exited the hall. Balinor followed, giving Daegal a reassuring squeeze on the shoulder as he passed.

“He’s not going to Nemeth, is he?” the Queen guessed as soon as her husband was out of earshot. 

“No, he’s riding to Camelot,” Daegal finally admitted. “I’m sorry, Hunith.” 

“Don’t be, my dear. I am pleased that he will at least know his husband’s face before they wed.”


	2. Chapter 2

Merlin really didn’t think this through. He had been so pumped about his secret mission to meet his betrothed that he didn’t stop to think _how_ he was going to meet him. He had no idea what the man looked like, and it wasn’t like he could walk into the castle, request an audience with the King and say, ‘hey, I’m your son’s future omega who came here without an escort or permission and I’d like to meet him now. Also, in case you were wondering, yes I am always this disobedient, good luck with me!’ Something told Merlin that the King of a realm where omegas had few more rights than pets wouldn’t appreciate that. 

So now Merlin was wandering aimlessly around the citadel, looking for someone… princely. Maybe it would be like all those stories his mother had read to him as a kid where the omega lock eyes with the alpha and they would just know they were mates. On his never ending quest for the prince, he came across a group of alpha knights (only alphas could be knights) bullying a serving boy. The boy must’ve been an omega, if the scarf around his neck was any indication. An omega with an exposed neck was a whore by Camelot’s standards. While Ealdor had no such custom, Merlin still wore a neckerchief to cover his scent gland. If this was going to be his new home, then he would have to assimilate. 

“Where’s the target?” the blond knight taunted the servant.

“It’s over there, sire.” 

“It’s in the sun.” 

“It’s not that bright,” the omega remarked. 

“A bit like you, then,” the rude knight said and Merlin felt his blood boil. This man thought himself better than the manservant- either because he was an alpha and the boy was an omega, or because he was a noble and the boy was a commoner, perhaps a mixture of both- either way, Merlin didn’t like him one bit. 

The manservant muttered his apologies and went to move the target. As he carried the wooden plate across the courtyard, the blond knight turned to his lackeys and said, “this’ll teach him.” He took one of the throwing knives and chucked it at the target, ignoring the servant’s cries of ‘stop,’ and ‘hang on.’ 

Egged on by the other knights, who found the situation hilarious, the head arse called, “Come on, then. Run! We want _moving_ target practice.” As he started another onslaught of daggers, the omega lost his grip on the target and it rolled away, stopping directly at Merlin’s feet.

The servant was about to pick up the target when Merlin placed his foot over it, effectively stopping him. He was never one to stand idly by while someone was mistreated, regardless of dynamic. Camelot was to be his future home and he wouldn’t allow bad alpha behavior to go unchecked in _his_ home. “Hey,” Merlin said, getting the man’s attention. “Come on, that’s enough.” 

“What?” the alpha demanded, stepping closer to Merlin in a display of dominance that was so put on that he could have laughed. 

“You’ve had your fun, my friend,” he said non confrontationally. Most omegas had a knack for settling conflicts peacefully, as they aimed to make everyone happy. Merlin was not most omegas, but it couldn’t hurt to try to talk to the man first. 

“Do I know you?” 

“I’m Merlin.” He stuck out his hand for the knight to shake, though, given their respective stations and dynamics, it would have been more appropriate for him to extend his hand for the man to kiss his knuckles. 

“So I don’t know you.” 

“No.” 

“Yet you called me friend,” there was a mocking tone of confusion in his voice. 

“That was my mistake.” 

“Yeah.” 

“Yeah,” he said, allowing the other man to think he’d won for a split second before adding, “I’d never have a friend who could be such an arse.” 

“Nor I one who could be so stupid,” the blond said. He took another step closer, and Merlin caught his scent for the first time. It was overwhelming, dominant… perfect. He had never met another with a scent like that. He was kind of cute, too. Too bad he was an arse. “Tell me, _Mer_ lin, do you know how to walk on your knees?” 

Every fibre of Merlin’s omega being urged him to say _yes, Alpha. For you_ but instead he countered with a firm, “No.” 

“Would you like me to help you?” 

_Yes. Please, Alpha. Show me who I belong to._ “I wouldn’t if I were you.” 

“Why? what are you going to do to me?” the knight asked. Merlin wanted to tell him that he was royalty and he was betrothed to Prince Arthur himself, but he refrained. He could get the prat’s name later and report this abhorrent behavior to his future husband. 

“You have no idea.” 

Merlin planned on walking away, but the arrogant prick just had to open his big (beautiful) mouth again. “Be my guest. Come on. Come on,” he goaded and Merlin felt a deep seeded rage rise up in him. “ _Come ooon._ ” 

That was the last straw. Without thinking, Merlin threw his fist in the man’s stupid (handsome) face. It was a stupid idea. A trained Alpha versus a scrawny omega like him? Even Merlin knew he wasn’t going to win. The blond grabbed his hand easily and twisted his arm behind his back. His grip was surprisingly gentle, almost reminding Merlin of when he and Will would playfight on the training grounds. 

“I’ll have you thrown in jail for that.” 

“Who do you think you are? The King?” 

“No. I’m his son, Arthur,” the man growled in his ear, causing Merlin to shiver. He kicked his knees out from under him just as gently as he had twisted his arm behind his back. “That, dear _Mer_ lin is how you walk on your knees.”

Two guards roughly grabbed him by the shoulders and he winced in pain. “Be careful!” Arthur barked at the men, earning three confused stares. “He’s only an omega, take it easy on him, yeah?” he added casually. 

_Well, fuck._

* * *

Merlin sat in the dungeon cell, seriously questioning his life choices. He and his betrothed didn’t get off to the best start, to say the least. Now, he was sitting in a cell underneath the castle he was going to live in with no one to bail him out. He could still smell Arthur’s strong scent all over him, and though he’d never admit it, the omega couldn’t help but feel somewhat comforted by it. 

Would now be a good time to reveal his true identity to the guards so he could finally get out of this hellhole? Maybe. But if he did that he would have to face Arthur again, and he didn’t think that he could handle that at the moment. Eventually, Daegal would have to tell his parents where he was and he’d have to face Arthur anyways. 

A moment of clarity provided Merlin with an idea. His mother’s friend Gaius was the court physician here, and though he hadn’t seen Merlin in years, he was sure the older beta would bail him out. He asked one of the guards to fetch the man for him, and to Merlin’s utter shock, the man complied. 

“Merlin?” Gaius questioned as he squinted at Merlin through the bars of the cell. “Is that you?” 

“The one and only.” 

“I thought someone was playing a cruel joke on me,” the man explained. “I knew you would be coming to Camelot, but not like this. What are you doing here?” 

“It’s kind of a long story.”


	3. Chapter 3

Arthur was in an exceptionally bad mood as he sat in the afternoon council meeting with his Father. Stupid _Merlin_ , interupting his training session and sticking his nose where it didn’t belong. Never in his twenty years of life had anybody talked to him like the commoner had. It made his blood boil. He was Arthur Pendragon for God’s sake- Crown Prince of Camelot and an alpha to boot. No omega, no matter how attractive or oddly charming they may be, was going to get the best of him. Aggravaine was saying something to the advisors, but Arthur wasn’t listening. His mind kept drifting back to big ears and deep blue eyes.

He couldn’t believe he had let the other man monopolize his thoughts like this, but then again, he had never met an omega so intriguing. He was brave, any other omega would’ve backed down as soon as Arthur glared in their direction, instead Merlin had challenged him- and God did Arthur _love_ a challenge. There was something about the man that he just couldn’t quite put his finger on. Then he had actually tried to punch him. Arthur had been so surprised he almost didn’t have time to block the attack. _Almost_. Instead he caught Merlin’s fist and twisted his arm as gently as he could (he wanted to mess with the man, not hurt him) and took him out at the knees, a pretty mild punishment for assaulting the Crown Prince of Camelot. He had called for the guards to arrest him, in an instant Merlin was being grabbed roughly and he griminanced in pain. A growl rose in Arthur’s throat and he had to fight the instincts that urged him to protect the omega. ‘Be careful,’ he had shouted at the guards, then backtracked when they looked at him strangely. 

“What do you think, Arthur?” His father asked, pulling him from his thoughts. “Arthur?”

“I uh, I…” the prince faltered. His father sighed. 

“That’ll be all for today. Adjourned.” The men started to filter out of the room. “Arthur, a moment.” 

“Yes, sire,” Arthur replied dutifully and sat back down at the long, rectangular meeting table. “I’m sorry. I don’t know where my head is today,” he apologized before the King got a chance to reprimand him. 

His father sighed again in that way that always managed to make Arthur feel impossibly small. “Well, I suggest you find it. When you are King, having ‘off days,’ will be no excuse for making poor decisions.” 

“Of course, sire. I apologize.” 

“In any case, that’s not what I needed to talk to you about,” his father continued. “We’ve managed to secure an alliance with Ealdor.” 

“That’s good news.” 

“Good news, indeed,” he agreed. “The Emrys family will be here tomorrow evening. You’ll be wed to Balinor’s omega son by Friday.” 

“Wait, what?” Arthur shouted. “You want me to get _married_?” 

“Yes. I’ve been assured that the Prince will be a great match for you and for Camelot.” 

“Father, I can’t get married!” he protested. 

“And why not?” 

“Because I’m not in love.” 

The King laughed loudly, as though Arthur had said something outlandish. “My boy, you’ll find that love has very little to do with marriage,” he said. “Ealdor is rich. Riches fund armies. Marriages solidify alliances. This is just the way things are done.” 

“But Fathe-” 

“I won’t hear it!” Uther slammed his fist on the table and the younger alpha bristled, but stayed silent. “When Ealdor’s royal family arrives, I expect you to conduct yourself properly. I won’t have this alliance falling through because you’re behaving like a child.” 

“Yes, sire,” Arthur managed to choke out, pushing out his chair and making a quick exit. 

He was so upset that he didn’t even ask for the Prince’s name. 

* * *

“Married?” Morgana gasped. “He wants you to get _married_?”

“Yes! What am I going to do, Morgana?” 

“Abdicate the throne and leave me in charge,” the older alpha said.

Arthur laughed sarcastically as he looked out her chamber window to the city below. “Funny.” He accepted the goblet that Guinevere handed him. “Seriously, what am I to do?”

“Seriously, go tell your father that you don’t want to marry the omega.” 

“I tried, Morgana. You know how he can be. He doesn’t care.”

“So, that’s it? You protest twice and give up.” 

“It’s not just that. I have a duty to my Kingdom. I must put the needs of Camelot before my own.”

“Arthur, you can’t mean that.” 

“I do,” Arthur determined. He had seen what an underfunded army looked like, and in the event that Cenred did attack, he would not let his men starve and freeze to death because of something he did (or in this case, didn’t do). From the streets below, Arthur spotted a red neckerchief and big ears headed toward the gates. He vaguely wondered how the omega got out of the dungeons, but pushed it from his mind. His father was right, it was time for him to grow up, to start fulfilling his duties to the State and stop thinking so selfishly. 

He stole one last glance at Merlin before pushing the boy out of his mind completely. This morning, correcting his impudence had seemed like a battle worth fighting. Now it was infinitely unimportant. “Now,” Arthur turned to Morgana and Guinevere, “I need you to help me prepare for the Emrys family’s arrival.” 

* * *

To say Arthur was nervous would be the understatement of the century. He had fought armies and bandits and creatures of the unknown without so much as batting an eye, but nothing could quite compare to the feeling of standing to his Father’s right and waiting to meet his future husband. 

He bounced on the balls of his feet, despite the King having reprimanded him for that very thing five minutes ago. It would help if he knew something about this omega prince, but his Father didn’t seem to have any information about the man other than the fact that he was Balinor’s second son and an omega. This didn’t surprise Arthur, the King didn’t regard omegas very highly. He saw the prince as a means to an alliance, not as a person that Arthur would spend the rest of his life with.

“Arthur, relax,” Morgana whispered by his side. “It is very unbecoming for an alpha to freak out like this.” 

Arthur rolled his eyes. If there was one person who didn’t believe in dynamic roles, it was Morgana. “Promise me something,” she continued, keeping her voice low enough so the King couldn’t hear. “If you really can’t love this boy, if you think he’ll make you anything other than happy, then don’t marry him.”

He didn’t get a chance to answer before the doors were opened and two knights (Leon and some new recruit he hadn’t bothered learning the name of yet) announced the royal family's arrival. His Father rose to his feet to greet Balinor in a show of friendliness. Still, Arthur didn’t miss the way the King postured to make himself seem taller, more imposing. Maybe this alliance wasn’t built on as strong of a friendship as his Father had led him to believe. Balinor greeted him with just as much false affection before standing to the side.

As was customary at Camelot’s court, the alpha members of a noble family were introduced first, followed of course by the betas and finally the omegas. Prince William was brought in next. He didn’t exactly fit the profile of a strong alpha male, which Arthur was glad for. There would be a tournament tomorrow to celebrate the wedding, and to lose to a foreign Prince would be absolutely humiliating. Hunith was introduced. She was graceful and seemed strong for a beta, exactly what one would expect of a Queen.

The pause after the Queen’s introduction seemed to drag on for ages before Leon finally called, “And lastly, Prince Merlin Emrys of Ealdor, second son of Balinor and Hunith Emrys.” 

_Wait. What?_

Arthur did a double take as the young man entered the throne room. Sure enough, he found goofy ears and ocean blue eyes. That horrendously tacky neckerchief he had been wearing was replaced by an embroidered blue tunic that went up high enough to cover his neck. He looked… radiant. But that wasn’t what kept Arthur frozen at his Father’s side. How did this happen? How was _Merlin_ \- loudmouthed, defiant, ungraceful Merlin- the Prince of Ealdor and Arthur’s future omega? This had to be some kind of nightmare that his subconscious sent him to warn him against getting married.

“Arthur,” the King growled under his breath, pulling Arthur from his daze. “Don’t just stand there. Say hello to the boy.” 

Arthur looked, wide eyed, between his Father and Merlin before closing the gap between him and the omega. Merlin extended his knuckles for him to kiss and Arthur did so quickly, before dropping his hand as though it had burned him. “Prince Arthur,” Merlin spoke softly, nothing like the confrontational voice that had greeted him in the square. “It is a pleasure to finally _meet_ you.” 

“Oh, I- uh.” Arthur stuttered, earning a concerned glance from Morgana. “The pleasure is all mine.”

Uther clapped his hands together in joy. “Excellent!” he stated. “I am sure you are all weary from your travels, so for tonight, we only have a small, intimate dinner planned. If you’ll follow me.” 

They were led to one of the smaller dining halls (the castle had many) and instructed to sit. William scrambled to Merlin’s side and Arthur sat by Morgana. From the head of the table, Arthur could hear Balinor and his Father discuss some matter of State- taxes, maybe. His attention was fixated solely on the boy across from him. Merlin, of course, made every effort not to meet his gaze.

Morgana must’ve taken the omega’s defiance as shyness because she shot a meaningful look at Arthur before asking, “So, Merlin. Are you excited for the tournament tomorrow?”

Merlin looked up from his plate. “Yes, my lady. I’m sure it’ll be an excellent way to spend my first day in the citadel.” He shot a quick warning glance at Arthur, daring him to correct the statement. The alpha didn’t. 

“Oh, none of this ‘my lady’ crap. Arthur and I are practically brother and sister, so as far as I’m concerned, you’re family.” 

Merlin smiled brightly at her, the first genuine smile Arthur had seen on the boy. “Thank you, Morgana.”

“Anyways, you’re very lucky to be able to witness Arthur in action. He is a skilled competitor.” Any other time Arthur would be thrilled to have Morgana talk him up like this. He’d probably even make a game out of it to see just how far her compliments would go. Right now, he just needed her to shut the hell up. 

“Yes,” Merlin said, eyeing him once more. “I am sure my future husband is quite the _fighter_.” 

Arthur wanted to protest that, to say that he was more than just a brute- as Merlin had implied, but couldn’t find the words to do so without giving away their prior meeting. Instead, he turned to Will and asked him how the journey was. 

By the end of the hour conversation had died down and meals had been finished. “Can I have a moment with Merlin, please?” Arthur asked politely, looking at Balinor rather than the boy in question. It wasn’t Merlin’s decision to make, after all. 

The King looked to his son, who shrugged and said, “I’d love to see the gardens.”

Balinor nodded his approval and Arthur led Merlin out of the room. As soon as he was sure there were no prying eyes around, he turned to the man. “What the Hell is going on here?” he demanded. 

Instantly, the persona of the polite, quiet omega was dropped. “Great, so you’re dumb _and_ violent,” he muttered. 

“I am not!” Arthur protested. “Now, how on Earth did this happen?”

“Well, you see, I learned of our engagement and decided I wanted to meet you, so I came to Camelot. You decided to beat me up and get me arrested.” 

“I didn’t know that you were _you._ ” Arthur defended. “And I didn’t beat you up.”

“Why should that matter?” 

“Because if I had known who you were I wouldn’t have done any of that!”

Merlin rolled his eyes. “Here’s a radical idea, you could just be nice to _everybody_ and then you won’t have this problem at all.” 

“Oh, so I’m just supposed to assume everyone is an omega Prince that secretly travelled across Kingdoms to meet me?”

“If that’s what it takes for you to stop being such a clotpole, then yes!”

“That’s not fair, you don’t even know me.” Arthur stated. Merlin had the complete wrong idea about him.

“My Mother always says you can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats his inferiors,” Merlin said. “I think I already know all I need to know about you, Arthur Pendragon.” 

There was a tense silence as Merlin waited for his response. Arthur didn’t have one for the man. 

“If you’ll excuse me, sire. I really should be getting back.” 

_Well, that could’ve gone better._


	4. Chapter 4

Merlin rushed about his rooms, muttering a slew of curses. He was late for the tournament, which wouldn’t normally be a big deal because he was late for almost everything, but this was his first public appearance as Arthur’s future mate. The citizens would no doubt be curious about the Prince’s new omega and he would be judged and scrutinized by all. He didn’t want to give them any reason to dislike him. He quickly picked up the high collared purple tunic he had selected the night before and a pair of black trousers and ran behind the changing screen to get dressed.

“When I find Daegal he is so fired,” Merlin decided to himself as he laced up his boots and fixed his hair. It wasn’t that he  _ needed  _ the other boy to get ready, Merlin was a full grown man who could and did dress himself, but it would’ve been nice to have a second opinion. Plus, he would miss the boy when he went back to Ealdor. He could’ve asked him to relocate to Camelot with him, but Merlin didn’t want to put the younger man in a position of having to choose between his job and his home. “If he abandoned me to gawk at some stupid alpha knights, I swear…” the omega muttered as he swung open the door of the guest chambers. Without looking up he began to make his way into the corridor, he got all of two steps before colliding full force with someone. 

“Oh my God. I’m so sorry, sire. Are you okay? I should ha-” a panicked voice sounded as Merlin fell flat on his arse.

“Oh, no. It was my fault,” the omega dismissed before the person could continue the long winded apology. “And just Merlin is fine,” he added as he got to his feet and examined the person he had bumped in to. A beautiful woman, only a little older than him, smiled at him sheepishly. Behind her stood a red headed knight who watched the exchange stoically. 

“I’m Guinevere, the Lady Morgana’s maid. Most people just call me Gwen,” the woman extended a hand for Merlin to shake. She was a beta, Merlin could tell from her mild scent and seemingly normal attire. “That’s Leon,” she pointed to the alpha knight behind her.

Merlin eyed the knight suspiciously. Gwen seemed nice enough and Leon didn’t have a threatening presence, but he still wasn’t thrilled at the idea of an alpha in his territory without his permission. “Can I help you guys?” he asked politely, but he couldn’t keep the harsh edge from his voice.

“We’re here to escort you to the tournament,” Leon explained shortly. 

“Isn’t the training yard just outside of the castle?” Merlin had a short tour of the castle the night before and he thought he’d seen a large field just beyond the gates.

“Yes, but it wouldn’t be proper for you to show up without attendants,” Leon said. 

At Merlin’s distasteful gaze Gwen added, “Leon and I are just temporary though, I’m sure once you’re married Arthur will assign you your own guards.”

“It’s not that,” Merlin said. “I’m simply not used to so much… protection.” A better word for it would be confinement, but Merlin didn’t want to offend either of his  _ attendants _ so he kept quiet and allowed Leon to lead the way.

He spoke casually with Gwen about different aspects of life in Camelot and the maid answered with a simple sincerity that put Merlin at ease. Soon, they arrived at the field and Merlin was relieved to see that citizens were still filling in the stands- he wasn’t that late. “One last question,” he started before he had to join Uther and Morgana on the royal stand. “What do you think of my betrothed?”

She considered this for a moment. “Arthur can be a bully,” she stated bluntly. “But he is a good man and he will never be ungallant towards you.”

“How can you be so sure?” Merlin questioned. Gallant was the last word he would use to describe the alpha.

“Because if he isn’t, Morgana will kick his arse,” she laughed. “Now go, you’re already late.”

Merlin quickly made his way to the shaded platform where the royal family sat and took his seat next to Morgana. From across the field, he could see his mother, father, and brother in their own reserved seats. He waved to them energetically and laughed when Will mimicked running himself through with an imaginary sword.

Uther cleared his throat disapprovingly and Merlin was quick to correct his manners. “You’re late,” the King stated.

“Relax, Uther. The stands aren’t full yet and they haven’t even brought out the contestants,” Morgana defended. 

“He was supposed to be here before the commoners.”

Merlin didn’t get the chance to take offense before horns were sounding and no less than twenty alphas rode out on the field in full armor. They guided their horses around the perimeter of the field a few times, dazzling the crowd, then came to halt in front of the royal family.

“Most honorable alphas,” Uther announced once everyone was in position. “We are pleased to welcome you to Camelot for the union of our great Kingdom with Ealdor. This tournament measures more than just your skills in combat. It is a trial of strength, of fortitude, of gallantry.” He looked to Arthur and added, “I trust you’ll make us proud.” 

The crowd erupted with applause and Merlin clapped along. The first match was between Arthur (of course) and a knight named Pellinor. As they were announced, the alpha prince trotted up to the royal stand and held out his lance expectantly, earning a confused look from Merlin. 

“My lord,” Merlin acknowledged curtly. Uther and Morgana gave him an identical puzzled glance. Sensing something more was expected from him, the omega tried, “uh, good luck?”

Morgana gave a fond chuckle. “Merlin… your favors?” 

“Oh, right.” Merlin fumbled to untie the dark blue ribbon around his wrist. In Ealdor, his favors had always gone to Lancelot, or Will on the rare occasions that he participated in competition. It felt strange to give them to somebody else. He wrapped the ribbon around the lance a few times and tied it in a bow. “Good luck, sire.”

Morgana had not been lying when she said that Arthur was a fierce competitor. He charged Sir Pellinor with a ferocity that impressed the whole audience, including Merlin. Again and again, he took out his opponent with unparalleled force.

“He is good, is he not?” Morgana prompted as the master of ceremonies moved the Pendragon plaque up a bracket.

“I’ve seen better,” Merlin remarked nonchalantly.

The noblewoman laughed again. “I like you, Merlin,” she said. “I think you’ll be able to teach our dear Arthur some… humility.”

“Humility,” he repeated. “Of course.” 

* * *

“Congratulations on your win this morning, sire,” Lord Richard said as he approached the banquet table that Merlin sat at with Arthur. “And on your upcoming nuptials, of course.” 

Lord Richard was the fifth person that evening to congratulate Arthur without sparing Merlin a second glance. It was terribly boring and uncomfortable. Arthur still hadn’t said a word to him since the night of their formal introduction, and for once Merlin was at a loss for words. So rather than talk and put his foot in his mouth, as he was prone to do, he stayed silent. That was probably what Arthur wanted anyways- a silent, obiendant, bland omega that would sit wordlessly beside him during parties and meetings and tournaments.

“Arthur, I was impressed by your performance today, as always,” another noblewoman came up to address Arthur. “And your betrothed is so cute!” she cooed without even saying hello to Merlin. The omega sighed. If one more person spoke about him like he wasn’t there, he might just scream. He found William in the crowd, talking with a Lord from Mercia, but strangely Lancelot and Daegal were nowhere to be found. He caught Will’s attention and shot him his best ‘save me,’ glance. 

Taking the hint, Will approached the banquet table. “Arthur,” he greeted curtly. “May I steal my darling little brother from you for a moment?” 

Arthur waved his permission, looking relieved to have a break from his betrothed. Will took Merlin by the hand and led him towards the back doors of the hall. He surveyed the room and as soon as he was sure nobody was watching them, he made a sneaky exit. 

“Oh, Thank God,” he said as he dragged Merlin up a flight of stairs. “I’ve been trying to get you alone all night.” 

“Where are we going?” 

Will stayed silent until he stopped in front of the doors to Merlin’s guest room. “Merlin Emrys,” he started, swinging the door open dramatically. “Welcome to your stag party!” 

Daegal and Lancelot sat at the foot of the bed, each holding a jug of some sort of ale and smiling at him brightly. On the vanity, Merlin spotted a small spread of all his favorite foods, most likely stolen from the kitchens.

He turned to Will, surprised. “But the party…” he protested weakly. “Father will get angry at you.” 

“Nonsense,” Will said. “It is our last night all together like this. I’ll be damned if we spend it at some stuffy feast.” 

A wide grin spread across Merlin’s face. “Let’s get to it, then.”

* * *

“You’re cheating!” Will accused as Daegal called the correct number for the dice once again. They had played no less than ten rounds, and the young servant had won at least four. 

“Am not!” Daegal protested with a smile. “I have a strategy.” 

“You can’t have a strategy for dice, it’s completely random,” Lancelot pointed out. 

“Whatever. It’s working,” the servant said. “Now pay up, Will.”

“We didn’t bet anything!” 

“Well, now that I’m winning I want to bet.” 

Merlin watched on with a fond smile. His friends could be absolutely ridiculous sometimes. He watched as Lancelot rolled the dice once more and saw Daegal press the mattress down slightly, causing the die to turn to the number he had called. Daegal always cheated. 

After tonight, he’d rarely get to see them. They’d go back to life in Ealdor: Will would continue to help their father run the kingdom, Lancelot would keep training with the knights, Daegal would find another person to attend. Meanwhile, Merlin would be here, in Camelot, with a husband who already hated him and a father-in-law who didn’t even regard him as a person. Before he even realized he was upset, he felt hot, wet tears roll down his face.

The whole room spun as he tried and failed to keep from openly sobbing. “Merlin,” he vaguely recognized the voice as Lancelot’s. “Merlin, you’re dropping!”

“Oh, shit,” Will’s panicked voice came next. In a second, his hands were gripping Merlin’s shoulders forcefully. “Look at me,” he pleaded. The rational part of Merlin’s brain wanted to look at his brother, but he was an omega who was starting to drop- his rational brain was overcome by his instincts. 

His eyes darted around from Lancelot, to Will, to Daegal, back to Lancelot. His body grew tense as he prepared to defend himself against any of them. “Hey,” Will said more forcefully, his voice hard and demanding. “Look. At. Me.” 

Merlin’s eyes snapped up to meet Will’s. “That’s good.” He forced the omega to maintain eye contact as Lance handed him a goblet of water. Merlin took a few sips and tried to calm his breathing. “That’s it, just keep breathing. You’re fine,” he said, voice much gentler now that Merlin had calmed down a bit. “I’m sorry, Merls. I should’ve known better than to get you so excited before your wedding.” 

Merlin shook his head emphatically. “Not that,” he managed to say through the tears. “I don’t want to marry Arthur,” he admitted out loud for the first time. The other three men went deathly silent. 

“Oh, Merlin,” Lance said. “I know.”

Merlin wiped his tear stained face on his tunic, most likely ruining the fabric. “I’m sorry,” he said. “Some stag party, huh?”

“I’ve been to worse,” Will joked, then added more seriously, “It’s okay. Anyone in your shoes would be upset.” 

“Yeah,” Daegal agreed. “And at least you didn’t fully drop. Can you imagine having to get through a whole wedding after a bad drop?”

No, he couldn’t. Coming out of a drop was almost worse than going into one. Like the worst hangover times ten. All things considered, it was lucky that he got upset in private, where Will could stop him before he went too far under.

“I just- I’m terrified,” he admitted. “I’m going to be all alone here as Arthur’s…” he searched for a better word than whore, but found nothing more accurate to his situation. “ _ Whore _ \- I’m going to be his whore.” 

Will was unphased by his vulgarity. “First of all,” he stated matter of factly. “Ealdor is providing the funding- Arthur’s your whore.” 

“And second of all,” Lance said seriously. “You  _ aren’t  _ going to be alone.” 

“What do you mean?” 

Daegal and Lancelot exchanged a meaningful look. “Well, we were going to wait til tomorrow, it being your wedding present and all,” he paused dramatically and smiled. “Me and Lance are staying in Camelot with you!” 

“What?” Merlin shouted. “You can’t! Your whole lives are in Ealdor!” 

“Oh, yes,” Daegal remarked sarcastically. “Our lands and families and titles are all in Ealdor. Oh, wait- We don’t have any of that stuff, do we, Lancelot?” 

“No, Daegal, I don’t believe we do.” 

“You guys don’t have to.” 

“We  _ want  _ to,” Lance explained. “At least until you get your footing here.”

“Besides, I already got a job.”

The three older men looked at the boy in complete shock. “A job?” Merlin asked incredulously. 

“Yeah. Where do you think I’ve been the past few days?” 

“We aren’t surprised you went looking for jobs,” Will said. “We’re a little surprised that someone actually hired you.”

“Hey! I’ll have you know that I am an excellent employee!” 

“No, you’re really not,” Merlin informed. He loved Daegal, but the kid was constantly late, was shit at chores, and wouldn’t know respect if it hit him upside the head. 

“Okay, I lied a little,” he admitted. “Or a lot. Anyways, say hello to Camelot’s newest physicians assistant!” 

Merlin considered this for a moment. “That’s actually perfect for you,” he decided.

The bell struck, indicating that it was an hour before midnight. 

“We should go,” Will announced. “You have a big day tomorrow. Get some rest.” 

“I love you guys,” Merlin said. 

“We love you too.”

Merlin crawled into bed and laid down for his last night of sleep as a single man. He was nervous, but knowing he’d always have his friends-his  _ family  _ by his side had lifted a weight off his shoulders. 

Whatever tomorrow brought, he would be prepared. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh! Sorry it's been so long since my last update. I'm also sorry that this is an arranged marriage fic and there hasn't been a wedding yet. But it's coming up next chapter, I promise.


	5. Chapter 5

Arthur was so not prepared for this.

He rose before the sun, paced around his chambers while waiting for George, yelled at George for being late even though the manservant was as punctual as ever. 

“Why on Earth would I want this?” Arthur berated as he pushed the plate of sausage and cheese aside.

“It’s your favorite, sire,” George said but went to clear the plate anyways. “Shall I get you something else, then?” 

Arthur sighed. “No.” He wouldn’t be able to eat anyways. “Just draw a bath, would you?” 

“Certainly, my lord.”

Arthur was bathed and dressed in record time. George helped him into the outfit that Morgana had picked out for him. He had to admit, she did a good job- the deep red went quite well with the gold of his crown and his cape. The cut of the fabric made his shoulders look broader without seeming like he was overcompensating, like some lesser alphas did. 

Once dressed, Arthur dismissed George and went back to his pacing.  _ Married _ . He would be  _ married  _ in two hours- and married to Merlin no less. He’d never put much thought into who he would wed, knowing that his union would be determined by the needs of his kingdom, not the needs of his heart. Still, he had imagined he’d end up with someone different than Merlin. He’d thought about marrying some pretty beta girl who was sweet and smart or maybe a male omega who was doting and shy. Merlin was none of those things.

He was interrupted from his pacing by a door opening, probably just George checking on him again, the overzealous idiot. “Get out,” Arthur yelled without looking.

“Jeez, someone is in a bad mood this morning,” Morgana said as she ignored his direct order and entered the room, Gwen following closely behind.

“We just wanted to check on you, see how you’re doing,” the maid explained as she took a seat on one of the large chairs by the fireplace.

“Well, my life is ending in about an hour,  _ Guinevere _ , so I’ve been better,” he snapped before instantly regretting it. “I’m sorry, Gwen.”

“It’s alright,” she said, getting up and straightening his outfit. “You’re nervous, it’s understandable.”

“Angry, more like it.”

“Angry?” Gwen asked with a raised brow. “Why’s that?” 

“Because he's emotionally stunted, just like his father,” Morgana answered for him. “He only has two emotions- anger and hunger.” 

Arthur laughed dryly. “Wouldn’t you be angry if you had to marry Merlin?” 

Morgana considered for a moment. “No,” she decided. “I’d be pleased. He’s such a lover.” 

“He’s a  _ bumpkin _ .” 

“Better a bumpkin than an arse,” Morgana countered. 

“You marry him then.” 

Morgana and Gwen exchanged a look. “I am not a princess,” she pointed out. “Besides, he’s much better suited for you.”

“How do you figure?” 

She gave him that all knowing smirk that was equal parts unnerving and infuriating. “You’ll see.”

Before Arthur got the chance to demand an explanation, one of his father’s servants came in and announced that the ceremony would commence soon.

They made their way to the hall in relative silence. “Arthur,” Morgana said when they were just outside of the large wooden doors. 

“Yes?” 

“Just- Good luck.” She wrapped him in a tight hug.

Arthur pulled away quickly, not used to such unwarranted affection. “Thank you.”

With that the doors were opened and Morgana and Gwen took their seats, leaving Arthur to walk up to the dais on his own. He stood by his father as they waited for Merlin to arrive and walk down the aisle. “Hopefully that omega of yours will actually be on time today,” Uther commented quietly. “He skipped the feast last night as well.” 

Arthur gave his father a confused look. He was talking about Merlin, but his anger seemed to extend to Arthur as well. “You are responsible for the boy now, Arthur,” the King explained. “He doesn’t yet understand all of Camelot’s traditions, which is understandable. But he will do well to learn, and you will do well to teach him. He is your omega, so his behavior reflects on you- on your authority as an alpha. Do you understand?” 

The alpha prince sighed. “Yes, Father.” Great, so Merlin wasn’t only a nuisance, now he was a liability. 

Soon after the doors were opened once again and Merlin appeared, accompanied by Balinor. He wore light blue robes with white accents that made him look rather regal. The guests all stood out of respect for the omega groom and he hooked his arm with Balinor’s. The older alpha walked his son down the aisle slowly, stopping at the dais and breaking left to sit with Hunith and William in the front row.

“Let’s begin,” Uther said, sounding as eager as Arthur felt to get the whole event over with. He addressed the crowd with a quick speech about unity and peace among nations. “Kneel,” he commanded Arthur and Merlin, who both gracefully took a knee on the top step of the dais. 

“Arthur Pendragon, Crown Prince of Camelot, do you take this omega to be your lawful mate and husband? Do you vow to protect, guide, and care for him in all matters spiritual and temporal?” 

Arthur hesitated for a moment, looking at his father, at the crowd, at Morgana and Gwen. All eyes were on him, expectant. He dared a glance at Merlin. He thought back to Morgana’s words,  _ if he will make you anything less than happy, don’t marry him _ . Would Merlin make him unhappy? The omega certainly wasn’t Arthur’s ideal mate, but he had to admit, he was intrigued by the boy. “I do,” he promised shortly. 

“Very well,” the King said. “Merlin Emrys, do you take this alpha to be your lawful mate and husband? Do you vow to serve, follow and obey him in all matters spiritual and temporal?” 

A small part of Arthur hoped that Merlin would call it off. No one could blame Arthur, or Camelot, if the omega refused. He held his breath as he waited for the other man’s response. “I do.” 

“Then I pronounce you legal mates.” Uther motioned for him to rise. “Arise, Alpha Crown Prince Arthur Pendragon of Camelot,” he said and turned to the omega. “And arise, Omega Prince Merlin Pendragon of Camelot.” 

Once they were both standing the King announced that he may ‘kiss his omega.’ Arthur took Merlin’s hands in his own and pressed a short, chaste, emotionless kiss on his lips.

* * *

The wedding reception was small and plain, there wasn’t any need for a big celebration  _ after  _ the alliance was settled. There was music, food, and a small group of invited nobility that Uther had hand picked.

“You look sad for someone who’s just been married,” Morgana commented. Arthur didn’t dignify that with a response, she knew damn well why he was upset. “Look, I know it’s a little awkward now, but I really think you just need to break the ice a bit.”

_ Break the ice,  _ Arthur thought bitterly. There was no point in breaking the ice with a man who already despised him. 

“Ask him to dance!” Gwen suggested excitedly.

“Absolutely not.”

“Oh, come on, what’s the harm in asking?” 

“She’s right, dear Arthur,” Morgana agreed. “It’s dancing. You don’t even have to talk.”

Arthur sighed and discarded his goblet on one of the serving girls trays. “Fine.” He made his way across the room to where Merlin was standing and talking to a servant Arthur didn’t recognize, someone from Ealdor, most likely. “Merlin.” 

“Arthur.”

Arthur paused for a moment, looking back at Gwen and Morgana, who gave him encouraging smiles and thumbs up. “Would you like to dance with me?” 

“I  _ would _ ,” Merlin started. “But I really should get back to practicing my knee walking.”

The alpha made a noise of frustration. It seemed Merlin was dead set on holding their first meeting against him for the rest of their lives. “Fine!” he said too loudly, earning confused looks from some party goers nearby. “I didn’t want to dance with you anyways.”

He turned to leave before Merlin caught his wrist. “No, that was a good idea.” He handed his drink to the servant (Daegal, he addressed him as) and asked him to dispose of it. “Let’s dance.”

The newlyweds made their way to the center of the hall where people were dancing to a lively tune. They took their positions on opposite lines and joined easily in the steps. Dancing wasn’t one of Arthur’s favorite pastimes, but his father insisted that he at least be adequate at it as it was an important skill for someone of his standing to have. 

The musicians finished the song soon enough, and switched to a slower partner dance. Merlin stepped in closer and Arthur put his hands on his back, careful not to let them wander. To his utter amazement, the defiant omega actually allowed him to lead. 

From this proximity, Arthur could properly scent the boy. He had caught a bit of his scent over the past few days, but this more intimate position allowed him to thoroughly analyze the other man’s scent. It was sweet, but not overly so. Apples and cinnamon- it was definitely apples and cinnamon. It wasn’t the most unpleasant aroma Arthur had ever smelled. It was almost… comforting. 

“You know,” Arthur said after they had danced a few songs in a tense silence. “For being such a clumsy oaf, you aren’t a horrible dancer.” 

The omega smiled at him brightly, then stomped on his foot  _ hard _ .

“Ow! You absolute  _ buffoon _ . What was that for?”

“Oh, my bad,” Merlin apologized. “I can’t help the fact that I’m a clumsy oaf.”

“It was a compliment,” Arthur called as Merlin made his way through the dancers and joined his mother and brother at the banquet table.

Discouraged, the alpha found Leon, Morgana, Gwen, and Elyan in a less crowded corner of the hall. “What did you do?” Elyan accused.

“I didn’t  _ do  _ anything! How do you even know it was me? What if it was Merlin?” 

“We saw everything, Arthur,” Morgana informed. “Now what did you do?” 

Arthur looked down and mumbled, “I may have called him an oaf… or a buffoon.” 

The group let out a collective groan. “Oh, sire,” Gwen shook her head disapprovingly.

“What? It was a joke!”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much, my lord,” Leon offered. “Just keep trying, I’m sure you two will get along famously.”

* * *

The Emrys family left shortly after the reception, having at least a day and a half journey in front of them. To Merlin’s credit, he didn’t cry when they saw his family off at the gates of the citadel. The younger prince simply wished them safe travels and assured them of his love, which Arthur found strange. He thought all noble families were cold and insocialable, at least to some extent, but the Emrys’ seemed to be as close as they come.

By the time they got back to the castle, it was dark outside. A maid informed them that the King had already retired for the night, but they were expected for breakfast in the morning. She also informed them that she had taken the liberty of moving Merlin’s belongings into Arthur’s chambers. 

Both men froze. Arthur had been so distracted since the whole betrothal fiasco that he hadn’t even thought about having to share a bed with the omega. He led Merlin to his- to  _ their _ \- rooms and muttered directions to certain rooms like the dining hall or the library. The castle was large, and newcomers tended to get lost without landmarks.

He opened the door and allowed Merlin to enter before he did the same. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. He didn’t know what Merlin was expecting. Maybe they should’ve discussed this beforehand, but then, all of their discussions to this point hadn’t been successful. 

To his relief, Merlin spoke first. “We are  _ not  _ going to  _ consummate  _ anything,” he said firmly, crossing his arms and staring Arthur down resolutely.

“Finally, something we can agree on,” he exclaimed as he crawled into his side of the bed and closed his eyes, ready to end his horrible day. He felt a weight shift on the mattress and his eyes flew open. “What are you doing?” he asked as he realized Merlin was getting into bed as well.

“Going to sleep, obviously.” 

“Merlin, I am prepared to face all manors of horror in this world, but if you think I’m sharing a bed with you…” 

“Where am I to sleep, then?” Merlin asked. “On a chair? On the floor? On the divan like a dog?”

Arthur honestly hadn’t thought of that. He’d just assumed that his bed was his own. “Fine,” he ceded, lining up some throw pillows to create a makeshift wall between them. “But no cuddling.”

“Arthur, I am prepared to face all manors of horror in this world, but if you think I’m  _ cuddling  _ with you…”

_ Well, this was going to be fun.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Arthur is still a dick. Don't worry though, he'll get better soon(ish).


End file.
